Casing machine



A. R. SILVA CASING MACHINE Oct. 26, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 6, 1948 INVENITOR. l/W'HOM P, .771 1 4 By jla A. R. SILVA CASING MACHINE Oct. 26, 1954 Filed July 6, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 :u v llll II F I Oct. 26, 1954 A. R. SILVA 2,692,713

CASING MACHINE Filed July s, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Fla! 1 N V EN TOR. in'mo/vri, J7;

A. R. SILVA CASING MACHINE Oct. 26, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed July 6, 1948 FIG. 6

INVENTOR. i/wmwr 61/041 A. R. slLvA CASING MACHINE Oct. 26, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 6, 1948 Patented Oct. 26, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CASING MACHINE Anthony B. Silva, San Jose, Calif.

Application July 6, 1948,. Serial No. 37,291

2 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to container handling apparatus and more particularly to a casing machine for containers for high speed casing operations at the end of a canning or hottling line.

It is a general object of the invention to provide an improved casing machine.

A further object of the invention is to provide a casing machine having a plurality of successively operable casing units to enable simultaneous charging of one unit while another unit is being discharged.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved releasable container feed for such machines.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a schematic plan view of the casing machine.

Figure 2 is an enlarged plan view of the feed end of the machine.

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the feed end of the machine.

Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the discharge end of the machine at which the casing units are located.

Figure 5 is a plan view of the discharge end of the machine Figure 6 is an end elevational view of the dis charge end of the machine.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken as indicated by the line '!'I in Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken as indicated by the line 8-4 in Figure 5.

Figure 9 is a sectional view of the discharge end of the machine taken as indicated by the line 9-9 in Figure 5.

Figure 10 is a view similar to Figure 9 but showing the parts in another operating position.

The present invention is concerned with the problem of taking a single file of containers, such as bottles, for example, and re-arrangin these bottles in the proper array to receive a case, and thereafter discharging the bottles in the case from the equipment.

The general machine is illustrated schematically in Figure l where there is shown a mesh belt conveyor Ill trained about an idler drum. H at the feed end. and a drive drum I2 at the discharge end. The containers such as bottles I3 are.v received from. a. single file gravity-type conveyor 14' through a right angle twisting assembly l5 so as to be discharged in upright position on to the feed end of the conveyor l0 under control of a stabilizing mechanism [6. The single file of bottles I3 leave the stabilizing mechanism 16 and enter a single file track H. A switch device It leads from the single path track I! to the double tracks 59 suitably supported above the conveyor Ill. Each of the double tracks 49 lead to respective switching devices 2| at the entrance end of a quadruple track structure 2-2 on the conveyor 10 so that the single file of bottles is multiplied into a quadruple file in a conventional manner for feeding to the discharge end of the conveyor It. Associated with the discharge end of the conveyor I0 is a multiple casing unit 23, described later in detail, in which successive batches of bottles, 12 in number as shown, are received in position tohave a case placed thereover as later described.

In accordance with the instant invention, the stabilizing mechanism it comprises yieldable moving track defining members or belts at the feed end of the apparatus to take care of any accidental misalignment or improper positioning of a bottle. Each of these units (Figures 2 and 3) comprise an L-shaped frame member 33 on which the respective support sleeve or bushings 31 for three respective pairs of V-belt pulleys 32, 33 and 34 are mounted in upright position. Respective V-belts 36 are trained about the pulleys. The support shaft 31 of the pulleys 34 is carried by respective journalled brackets 39 on the frame 9 of the machine. The respective pulleys 32 and 33 of each yieldable track member are carried by the frame 30 which is spring urged to position by an associated spring M and has its limit position determined by an adjustable stop 42 in the form of a screw.

Thus, each of the opposite track sections of the stabilizer formed by the belts 3b can yield about its pivotal support 31. If a bottle in being turned by the conventional twisting rod structure l5 becomes unstable so that it falls and is wedged between the belts 36, the entire belt structure can yield pivotally about its pivot point 31.

Preferably, the belts 3B, are driven to provide a movement of the wall forming stretches thereof in the same direction and at substantially the same speed as the conveyor I'll. For this purpose the shaft i la of the idler drum I i (Figure 3) carries a sprocket 43 connected by a chain it to a sprocket 45 on the idler shaft 46. The idler shaft 451's also connected through a suitable chain and sprocket drive 4T and bevel gearing 48 to each of the associated shafts 31 of the belt mechanisms. By driving the belts 35, the bottles upon being fed onto the conveyor 10 have a chance to settle into a stable condition while being supported by side rails moving with them as they move on the conveyor l0.

Referring to Figures 4 to 10, the details of the casing mechanism 23 at the discharge end of the machine are illustrated. In the embodiment illustrated, the casing mechanism 23 comprises a pair of casing units or trays 5! and 52 of similar construction and spaced 180 apart with respect to their common support shaft 53. The unit 5|, for example, comprises a series of vertically arranged strips 54 (Figures 4, 5, 6 and 9) extending from a normally horizontally disposed end plate 55 to one of a pair of transverse center plates 56 secured to the shaft 53. The vertical plates 54 provide partitions which form four pockets to receive four rows of three bottles each. The bottom of these pockets are formed by the end plate 55 .and by a series of parallel rods 5? welded to the respective plates 55 and 56. As seen most clearly in Figure 9, the axis of the shaft 53 is raised sufilciently with respect to the upper stretch of the conveyor ii! that when a unit or tray 5! or 52 is in horizontal position and adjacent the conveyor, it forms a, smooth continuation of the upper stretch of the conveyor ill and the transfer plate 58 adjacent thereto. Thus, when a casing unit is in its home or full cycle position, as shown in Figures 4 and 9, it is in proper position to receive four rows of three bottles each. In this position the weight of the unit is supported by a spring-urged latch or full cycle element 60 (Figures 5 and 8) having respective upper and lower latch jaws 60 a and 56b engaging above .and below the adjacent vertical plate or partition 5 The lower latch jaw Gila is provided with a cam surface so that the latch element can yield as the casing unit moves into its home position. The latch element fill is carried by a horizontally slidable springurged plate 6| carried by the frame of the machine. This latch element is controlled in a manner later described to be moved to inactive position upon starting of a cycle of operation.

In this position of the parts a bottle stop is held in inactive position to allow the rows of bottles to be fed onto the casing unit under the urgency of the oncoming bottles on the conveyor it. This stop takes the form of a transverse bar 62 (Figures 5, 9 and 10) which is interposed between the end of the adjacent casing unit and the transfer plate 58 and has its ends disposed in suitable vertical guide slots in the frame. Adjacent each end the bar 62 has a slotted pivotal connection 53 with a link (it pivoted at 66 on the frame 9 and carrying at its outer end a roller 6? engaged with a double rise cam 68 on the adjacent end of the shaft lit. The respective arms 64 are urged against the cam 58 and the stop bar 62 is urged upwardly by respective compression springs 6% (Figures 4 and 10) connected through respective links ill with the respective arms 6t.

From the above description it will be seen that with the casing unit in its bottle receiving position the stop bar 62 is in active position, and, immediately upon tilting movement of the casing unit away from its home position, the rollers 61 will ride off of the respective noses of the cams B8 and allow immediate projection of the stop bar 62 into the path of the bottles on the transfer plate 58 so that no feed of bottles can occur 'ducing gears 18.

while the casing-in unit is being operated. Also, the stop bar 62 is withdrawn as each casing unit moves into bottle receiving position.

After a case of bottles is in proper array on the casing unit, a case It} indicated in phantom lines in Figure 9 is placed over the bottles in inverted position and subsequently the casing mechanism and the two casing units thereof are rotated through 180 to discharge the case of bottles onto the discharge conveyor 5'2 and to bring the other or next casing unit into position to receive its load of bottles. Preferably, this operation is placed under control of the operator.

As seen in Figures l, 5, and 6, the drive drums l2 of the conveyor Ill operate continuously under the drive of an electric motor 16 through a suitable chain and sprocket drive H and speed re- A drive is obtained from the shaft 82a of the driving drum it through conventional single cycle clutch to operate the casing units. The shaft Him of the driving drum i2 carries a sprocket l9 which is connetced by a chain 8| with a suitable driven sprocket on the drive shaft of a conventional one-cycle clutch 82. The driven sleeve 83 of the clutch 32 is connected by a chain and sprocket drive 8:1 with the support shaft 53 of the casing unit so that the shaft 53 is driven for one half rotation for each cycle of operation of the clutch.

The clutch control mechanism includes a manually operable lever 88 (Figures 4, 5, 6 and 7) pivotally mounted on the frame at a? and connected intermediate its ends to a link 88. The link 88 at its other end is connected to an upstanding arm 89 on a shaft 9%. The shaft 9i, which is suitably supported on the frame of the machine, is connected by bevel gearing 92 with a longitudinal rock shaft 83 also suitably supported on the frame. The shaft as carries a pair of depending control arms at suitably connected to the shiftable control element 32a. of the clutch 82. Upon moving the lever SE5 to the right, as viewed in Figure 4, against the tension of the spring 96 therefor, the shaft ill and the shaft 22 are operated to cause driving engagement of the clutch. At the same time the rocking of the shaft 9! (Figure '7) raises a latch arm ill for the full cycle lug 82b of the clutch.

The movement of the clutch control lever also serves to disable the latch element W for the casing unit and for this purpose a cam lever Qil is pivotally mounted on the frame and at one end is pivotally connected to the latch element slide 6!. The other and cam end of the lever 98 is disposed in the path of the control lever F36 to be rocked thereby upon moving the control lever to clutch engaging position. In this way the latch or look element 6%) for the casing unit is withdrawn to enable the driving of the casing units for the desired cycle of operation.

From the above description, it will be seen that each time the operator moves the control lever 86, after placing a case in inverted position over the array of bottles on the active casing unit or tray, the casing units will be rotated counterclockwise for as viewed in Figures 9 and 10, to discharge the loaded case open end up onto the conveyor '52 and to move the other casing tray into active bottle receiving position.

While I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be apparent that it is capable of Variations and modifications within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. In a casing machine, means including a belt- .5 type conveyer for receiving a single file of containers and for dividing the containers into a plurality of at least three parallel files while on said conveyer and being progressed thereby, a stop at the discharge end of the conveyer for engagement by the endmost container of each file on the conveyer to hold the containers against movement with said conveyer, and a casing mechanism at said discharge end disposed to receive an array of containers in upright posi tion from said conveyer and to support said containers in upright position for insertion of a case thereon, said casing mechanism including a plurality of successively active lift means, each lift means having means to engage an intermediate file of containers and being operative to lift an array of containers with its case from a position at said discharge end and to effect depositing of said case and containers in an inverted position, said casing mechanism including a stop control means to render the stop effective when said lift means is active, and ineffective when said lift means is inactive.

2. In a casing machine, a belt-type conveyer for feeding a plurality of at least three parallel files of containers in upright position, casing mechanism at the discharge end of said conveyer said casing mechanism including a plurality of successively active lift means for removing an array of containers from the position of support with the case thereon, each lift means having means to engage an intermediate file of containers, a stop interposed between said casing mechanism and said conveyer and mounted for movement between a lower inactive position below the path of travel of containers and an upper active position, and means for controlling said stop and said lift means simultaneously to place said stop in active position during operation of said lift means and to withdraw said stop after lifting of an array of containers from said position of support to allow feeding of another array of containers by said conveyer.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,243,406 Hawthorne Oct. 16, 1917 1,611,822 Dulche Dec. 21, 1926 2,013,555 Deeren Sept. 3, 1935 2,014,447 Needham Sept. 17, 1935 2,140,595 Rapley Dec. 20, 1938 2,350,560 Kimball June 6, 1944 2,431,265 1 Madsen et a1. Nov. 18, 1947 2,452,376 Holstebroe et al. Oct. 26, 1948 2,527,252 Gorman, Jr Oct. 24, 1950 

